Jakar

The jakar, or 'changer', resembles a lycanthrope in that it moves between human and animal shape, but it is far more versatile: it can be any mammal, bird or reptile weighing from a fraction of a pound up to 8,000 pounds, or a human of any age. It gains the assumed form's physical attacks, such as a dragon's claws and bite, but not a breath weapon. Magical hybrids like the owlbear are beyond it; only natural animals will do. Since it is a perfect copy, spotting one is nearly impossible.

It fights with every natural weapon its current shape provides. Expecting battle, it usually picks a great ape or big cat for their damage, speed and ease of travel. It also adopts the animal's habits; as a cat it stalks prey and may toy with it before the kill. Foes are often rattled by its staying power and its Armor Class, which is always 5 better than normal for the chosen form: an elephant is AC 6, so a jakar elephant is AC 1.

Only one jakar is known, and it never leaves a hidden wizard's valley. It began as a human druid of hierophant rank who preferred animals to people and seldom took human shape. When the valley's archmage declared himself its ruler, the druid, sick of humans claiming to rule nature, confronted him violently. Both walked away unharmed and became something close to friends.

Fascinated by the druid's love of animals, the archmage offered to craft a device letting him shapechange beyond his class's normal limits, in return for the druid's help defending the valley. The druid agreed, sure he could undo any mishap. After a little over a year the mage produced a chain mail collar that allows up to 24 changes a day into any human or natural animal, gaining all its physical abilities. More such collars may exist, possibly handed out to create other jakar.

Delighted, the druid swore his life to the valley and its master. He put on the collar nearly thirty years ago and has not aged since. The collar can never be removed and blocks all druid spellcasting, but he does not care, for he now considers himself an animal and rarely bothers with human form. In any shape he can still recognize plants, animals and clean water, move through thick brush leaving no trail, resist charm spells cast by woodland beings, and gain +2 on saves vs. fire and electricity. Other jakar would presumably retain abilities from their own former class.

A jakar lives alone or among animals of its current kind, eating whatever that animal eats. Its treasure includes whatever it owned before the change plus loot from its victims, hidden in remote lairs such as high peaks or deep caves. It speaks the tongue of its current animal form, or in human shape any languages it knew before donning the collar. Its life span is unknown.